The Miracle Child
by Ootzer
Summary: This is a Titan AE and Star Wars crossover. Centered on a mantrin named Penumbre.


Green was the predominant color in the town. Plants of all forms, from both Earth and Solbrecht hung from balconies that faced the dirt street. Penumbre would have normally found the environment immersed in greenery soothing and enjoyable, but not today. Not while the iron bell cut through the crisp morning air. He stared straight ahead and continued walking, his face a picture of blankness. The pallbearers were all, by tradition, children of the same age as Kairu, but Penumbre walked behind the coffin as it was being lead away. The town of Ghrin was fairly modernized and the mantrins and humans there were known for having fairly mixed beliefs, both having fallen away from tradition to find a middle ground in between their two cultures. That is why poor Kairu was being escorted by a procession of both races in a ceremony that would seem strange to outsiders; human and mantrin alike. 

The dirt road didn't wind but went straight ahead to the ship at the end whose gangplank had been lowered and gaped like a monster's mouth, waiting to swallow Kairu and take him to roes of death. Penumbre still could not believe it. Kairu, gone? If only he had known the young padawan would have been so affected by his foreign bacteria. The illness, at least, hadn't affected Kairu that much in it's early stages, so had been free to train and play as much as he liked in the beginning, and that comforted Penumbre. At least he didn't suffer very much. But to see the young orkeht's light green coloration turn pale was something that still lingered and weighed in his mind. 

Penumbre was the only one there that wasn't part of the service. The pallbearers were all children of local residents and even the man at the front swinging the bottle of incense had been asked to perform such a service. For free most likely. But it was so much better than having any priest or religious leader at the front, chanting and quoting verses from his scriptures and lighting candles or spreading foul-smelling smoke around the procession with teary eyed and weeping relatives moaning and mourning in his wake. This was quiet and pleasant. 

The small ceremony had reached the ship and the pallbearers put the small oblong coffin down on the plank as they had been instructed by their parents and left. Penumbre watched the children leave. They started home quiet and sullen, but a few of them couldn't resist and started playing; pushing and yelling and throwing a ball that someone had hidden in their pocket. Penumbre would have normally smiled, but instead he put one hand on the coffin and looked down at it as though some how, by staring long enough, it would open and Kairu would wake and come out, holding his hand and walking with him as they went to his house. But no, that time was gone. "Rest in peace, little padawan." He turned and left the ship, allowing the funeral workers on board to load the coffin inside.

  


Two years later, Penumbre felt the same feeling, only this time it was much darker. He wore his best tunic and leggings as he would have to any council meeting, but walked in the worst, vilest place he could imagine. A graveyard was always a place of fear, but now it was also a place of disgust. There were many open graves and tombs and excavation going on, renovations being made and surfaces being smoothed out. 

"But what are you going to do with this?" Penumbre casually glanced at two people talking to each other, huddled over a grave. 

"I'm going to move it to another grave, of course."

"But there aren't any available now."

"Well, I'll just put it in this bag and..."

"You're going to take that home with you?"

"What do you mean 'that', this is my mother!"

Penumbre shuddered and continued walking. Kairu's family had been a wealthy one that was very modernized, having broken off from traditional mantrin beliefs and going the way of the universe. Penumbre found his tomb in a small family catacomb. On a shelf at about shoulder level, he stood in front of Kairu's resting place. With him he had brought a small potted plant and Kairu's favorite toy. Kairu had always loved plants and the grave was so lonely and cold, maybe a plant would help liven it up a little. 

A passing human interrupted his heavy thoughts. "Hey, you." Penumbre looked over at her. "Are you family or something?" She was dressed in overalls and wore thick gloves.

"No. Just a family friend." He responded.

"Look pal, we're making some renovations and we're gonna have to ask that all coffins be removed from the catacombs."

Remove the coffins from their resting place? That was desecration! "Okay." Penumbre said absent -mindedly. He wanted to vomit, but held all emotions in. 

"Thanks. Here, take this." She handed him a small hammer and chisel and exited the catacombs.

With the acidic taste of vomit stinging his throat, Penumbre began to chip away at the cement that held the coffin in it's place. Sick bastards. You don't do this to the dead! Gray chipping fell to the floor as he hammered again and again, careful not to hit any part of the coffin. 

When the corners of the coffin were all free, Penumbre reached into the shelf and gently grasped the handles on both sides to lift it out and place it on the ground in front of him. Oh Gods! How horrible! A large crack had formed in the side of the coffin over the years; probably from heat and dampness. Penumbre stared at the crack in shock. _My poor padawan!_ He thought as he inspected the crack.

From inside, something bright green showed through. Penumbre couldn't help but look further. Suddenly, he was hit with a feeling of life; there was some life force in the area. He tore off the coffin lid.

There inside was the boy. Not a sign or decay or damage. His skin was as green and black stripes as board as they had ever been. But Kairu just lay there with a peaceful expression on his face as though he were sleeping. Penumbre fell to his first set of knees and stared in shock. For a minute he meditated, then he knew what to do.

"Hey gee, are you done with that... Oh my God!" The girl who had lent him the hammer and chisel watched in disbelief as Penumbre held the small boy in his arms and started walking from the catacombs. "It's a miracle!" Soon, Penumbre was surrounded by men and women, mantrins and humans of all kinds that had been working in the graveyard.

One man stepped foreword from the crowd. "How old is the child?"

Penumbre stared down at the boy's face as he sat in the grass. "He died when he was eight."

"Eight? That's perfect! Eight is the number of Gods in the sky Eight is number of words spoken by the creator. Eight is the number of fingers on Lotin's hand. Eight are the number of sacred ordinances."

"And eight are the reasons why you shouldn't make superfluous observations!" Someone in the crowd shouted to everyone's amusement.

"Take the boy to Grotys!"

"Yeah! Let him see for himself!"

"Let him see the miracle-child!"

"All right!" The mantrin standing next to Penumbre said. "Kind sir, follow me. Let us take the boy to our most trusted and learned one and allow him and his comrades see him."

Penumbre stared blankly for a while before nodding and standing, still clutching Kairu's limp form to his chest. 

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Emyr." He was a logri of considerable age. The dark skin and round features aided in the image of a trustworthy old man. "What do they call you?"

They were walking away, the crowd staying behind in the graveyard but watching them leave. "I am Penumbre."

"Are you the child's father?"

"No. I am his master."

Emyr seemed confused but didn't say anything about that.

  


A heavy sigh rang out through the room. Grotys lay on a reclined chair and let his legs rest in a comfortably between the cushions there. "This matter weighs quite heavily on my mind." He was a goureg. His bright beak contrasting his slate gray skin, and the addition of his enormous height making for an awesome sight. "I can only hope that the hatred does not escalate any further. Dianil, what have you to say on the matter?"

"Well, there isn't much to say. Demonstrations have started to decrease a lot, but we can never be too sure." Grotys formed part of a large circle of wise and venerable mantrins who were meeting together. The people here were of superb repute and were trusted role models of the entire community.

Once again, Grotys let out a resounding sigh. "I am adjourning this meeting. I hope that in the future we will all be able to recognize the faults and benevolence of both sides." Grotys dismissed the meeting with a wave of his hand and left the room through a curtained door, as he was starting to feel ill. Without his presence in the room, everyone breathed easier. Grotys had been known for his immense strength in addition to his vast knowledge and admirable common sense. Needless to say, he had many enemies.

A man burst into the room, breathing heavily. "Is the meeting over?" He asked.

"No." Dianil said. "Not yet."

"Listen, can I see you outside for a moment?"

"Certainly." He walked outside the room and was lead to the courtyard of the complex, which was welcome to all, where Emyr stood with Penumbre as he held the boy in his arms. 

Emyr nodded respectfully. "This boy, Kairu, must be seen by you."

"Oh yes? What is the matter with him? Is he sick?"

"No sir, he... he died over two years ago."

"Impossible!" Dianil stared at the boy and then at Penumbre. "Are you the child's father?"

"No. I am his master."

"Come with me." He said, walking away. "We will take him to my room to be examined." Dianil was a sogowan, like Penumbre, with dark brown skin that appeared almost black even in the light. He was slightly taller than Penumbre, but shorter than Emyr and very skinny. 

Dianil's room was simple. There was a single window and a small mattress bed in the center, apart from his few personal belongings. With Kairu laying on the bed, Dianil looked him over. He wasn't breathing, nor did he have a pulse, but other than that, all his life signs were there. "My Gods!" Dianil commented after feeling the boy's forehead. "He's not even cold!" Quiet honestly, Dianil had no idea how to deal with this. Many people in the town were deeply religious and he didn't know how they would take this. A miracle of such magnitude being performed on a foreigner? That could be considered heresy! His thoughts were interrupted by a substantial amount of noise being generated from outside. Dianil opened his window to see a large crowd having gathered outside. 

Upon seeing Dianil at the window, the crowd cheered. 

"What is it that you desire?" He asked in a loud tone.

"We wish to see the miracle child!"

"Where is he?" 

"Where is his family?"

Dianil shut the window rapidly. So word had spread that quickly. Dianil knew what he had to do. "I see what the problem is. This young boy's spirit is restless because he was not buried properly. The body must be cremated and buried as tradition dictates."

"No, no." Penumbre said, shaking his head and picking Kairu back up. "I tell you that this boy is alive!"

"Don't be unreasonable. There are also laws against leaving a corpse unburied." He glared before turning and opening the window again. "People! My friends! I find no miraculous occurring in this event! The boy's body was stored at an ideal temperature and the clay that surrounded the tomb helped the from from decaying!" As he spoke, he saw faces in the crowd turning up to the sky. 

A shadow cast itself over the town and the sky turned red as the light from one of the suns was blocked out. People in crowd let their beaks drop and some even started to kneel on their first set of knees. "It truly is a miracle!" Someone shouted.

Dianil cranked his neck to look up into the sky to find exactly what he expected. "People! This eclipse was forecasted all over the world today! It is a simple coincidence that it occurred now!" He knew that he had lost the people's attention and shut the window in frustration. "You will give the boy to local burial preparers and have him cremated!" 

"No sir," Penumbre said, holding Kairu tighter. "This boy is as alive as you or me."

"Then one of us is a dead man!" Dianil hissed before ushering them both out of the room and slamming the door.

  


The room was small, made of some strange, abrasive material, cold and moderately dirty, but Penumbre was glad to be there. "Thank you once again."

"It's no problem at all my friend!" Emyr said warmly before sitting down heavily on a large cushion on the floor. "Here, let the boy rest." He took another such cushion, which was large enough for Kairu to lay down on, and tossed it across the small room to Penumbre. He put it down on the floor and laid him carefully on the cushion. They both stared at him for a while, their eyes locked on what their perceived as a miracle.

The gray walls and lack of windows, not to mention the small size, of the room made it appear dull and uncomfortable, though Emyr seemed content enough. Penumbre knew that he was the simple sort. As long as he had food, water, shelter and a comfortable place to rest his rump, he would be happy. He was also a very kind person. "What is that?" Penumbre asked, noticing five bottles filled with colored sand placed in a corner of the room. 

"Oh that," He said chuckling softly, an agreeable sound. "Painting, my friend, painting." Black, white, and bright tones of red, yellow and blue were the colors of the sand in the five different bottles. "Would you like to see some of my work?" He was already getting up, a cumbersome maneuver. He walked through a small curtain in the back of the room and came out with four large pieces of thin wood and spread them out over the floor. On the thin squares, there were beautifully intricate designs and pictures. "You see, you take the sap of a certain plant and mix it together with a few other ingredients and make a slow drying resin. Then you take the resin and wipe it evenly over the wood. Then you take the sand from those bottles and carefully drop them on the boards to make pictures." He seemed very content with his work, though it was not extremely good, it was decent and you could always make out what was trying to be shown in the paintings. "This one is supposed to represent the beauty of nature. See? There's the colors of the sunset, there's a few plants, here is a pool of water and that is a person resting next to it." Such explanations went on until he had completely described all the paintings in detail, their deep meanings and how he had felt while the sands had run from bunches in his hands all over the wood. The beauty of nature or mantrin beings seemed to be a reoccurring theme.

"But what about here?" Penumbre asked, pointing to a large white spot on the wood. It seemed to omit something.

"Oh that." Emyr said, eyeing the spot distainfully. "I had finished putting the undercoating, but I ran out of sand." Emyr chuckled as Penumbre glanced over at the filled bottles. "Yes, I have more now, but I can't think of anything to put there now." The light inside the room was getting darker and Emyr looked outside. "I think it's time we get some sleep." He said yawning widely. "You can have the bed tonight." He went into the curtained room, gathered a large stuffed, woven mattress in his arms and walked outside. 

The bed was really nothing more than a large sling tied between two trees with a hole cut in the center to allow the tail to hang out. Penumbre found it odd that Emyr preferred to sleep outside, but he was not very familiar with mantrin customs himself, so he made it a point to never question what he saw the people doing. "No, it's all right." Penumbre said upon seeing the sling. "You can sleep in the bed."

Emyr started to protest. "No, no. You're my honored guest."

Penumbre put a hand on his shoulder. "Kind sir, you have done so much for me already. Please, allow me to sleep on the ground." He took the mattress in his own hands.

Despite his hospitable nature, Emyr smiled. "Thank you." He said warmly before laying himself in the hammock.

The three suns of Solbrecht reflected off the moons so brightly that sometimes it was hard to tell between afternoon and night. So even though the sky was still not entirely dim, and the day was still warm, Penumbre knew it was time to sleep. 

Emyr readjusted himself to a more comfortable position in his sling. "Penumbre,"

"Yes?"

"Did you love that boy?"

Penumbre didn't have to think twice about the question but still paused. "Yes." He said after a moment or two. "Yes, I love Kairu with all my heart."

  


The finger tips of dawn reached across the sky and the subtle changes in temperature and brightness told Penumbre that it was morning. Of course, the distinction between night and day was less defined as what he was used to, but he was feeling especially alert and in tune that day. He woke to see Emyr sitting behind a small table and eating a large breakfast. Upon seeing Penumbre rise and stretch, Emyr smiled broadly and waved a piece of fruit at him. "Good morrow!" He said through juice stained lips. 

Penumbre scratched behind his ears and blinked rapidly to clear his eyes from an uneasy sleep. "Where is Kairu?" He asked.

Emyr blinked in confusion. "Um, he's inside."

Penumbre walked inside Emyr's musky house. "Kairu!" He called. "Still asleep, are we? Well, no matter." He left the room again after placing a hand against the boy's warm forehead. "Did you sleep well?" He asked Emyr who was deeply involved with his breakfast.

"Oh yes!" He said smiling. 

"Why are you up so early?" Penumbre was used to waking up early, but he knew that most people weren't.

"Don't you know that it is healthy to sleep and wake early? Especially when you eat as much as I do." He laughed jovially and continued eating, discussing health between juicy bites. "Of course, it's never healthy to eat very much before going to sleep, but it is healthy to have a large breakfast. It's something that I hold to firmly. Now, of course, the most clean thing to eat is fruit, but a man can't live on fruit alone. You have to have meat and some sort of plants. The green does you good. But don't get too set on acidly food. Stuff like meat. If you eat too much of that, you can get bad juices in your system. That's why you never eat a lot of meat in the morning or else you'll feel heavy all day long."

Penumbre nodded as though he were interested. When Emyr had finished his discourse, punctuating certain points with a wave of a hand or slap of a piece of fruit on the table, he voiced his concern. "What shall we do with Kairu?"

Penumbre took a small slice of fruit that was offered to him. "What do you mean? We wait for him to wake up."

Emyr was skeptical but didn't say anything. "Maybe we should take him to another council member. Maybe someone who is knowledgeable in medicine."

He knew what Emyr was thinking so he agreed with him. "Yes, that is a good idea."

"Well, let's not delay!" He said, standing and swallowing the last bite. 

  


"Don't worry, it's just a sign of mental overwork." Adora said as she moped Grotys' forehead. "You shouldn't work yourself so hard. It's bad for the mind and the body to put so much pressure on yourself."

Grotys stood and waved Adora away. "Let us hope you are right, for my mind and spirit are weary and I hope to find peace for both me and the people." He left the room to his own private quarters were he laid down on a large, soft woven mattress and slept deeply and heavily.

Adora sigh and wrung out the rag she had been using. She was not of a single definitive race. Her build was that of an orkeht; small light and narrow, whereas her light brown skin and overall complexion was that of a sogowan; full smooth and solid. She had always been an athletic and energetic person. She didn't come from a distinguished family, but she knew medicine and health very well and that was enough to make her respectable.

"Excuse me." Adora turned to see Emyr blocking the doorway. "Could you take a look at someone for us?" 

Adora sighed. "I'm sorry friend, I have many duties to attend to. Perhaps you can come back at a later time."

"Oh please, won't you look at this child?"

"What child is this?"

Emyr gasped in mock disbelief. "Have you not heard of the miracle-child?"

Despite his kidding, Adora was shocked. "The miracle-child? Of course I have heard of him! He's been the only thing many people have been talking about lately. Bring him here and let me see him."

Emyr smiled. "Thank you kindly." He waved to Penumbre who stood outside. "Bring Kairu!" 

Penumbre walked inside the room carrying Kairu in his arms. He nodded to Adora and laid him down on a small padded table in the center of the room. Adora marveled at the sight. The little boy's bright green skin was as colorful as ever. No signs indicated any sign of death. She put her ear next to the little boy's beak to listen for breathing but couldn't hear anything. She pressed her ear against his small chest and listened carefully. Nothing. She pressed a finger against the neck just to be sure, but there was no pulse. "By the Gods! This truly is a miracle!" She looked over him again, repeating the same gestures, but included putting her hand on the little boy's forehead. "He's still warm! How long ago did he die?"

"Two years."

"Standard or Solbrecht?"

"Solbrecht."

She marveled at the sight. The little boy appeared to lay there as though he were simply sleeping and would wake at any moment. A Solbrecht year was much longer than a standard year. "This is fascinating! His body shows not a single sign of decay. He's still warm yet he does not breath and has no heartbeat. And look here," She said, pointing. "His claws have even grown out! I've seen something similar to this a few times. It's a deep sleep from which a person seldom wakes usually caused by injury to the head or a sever illness. Was the boy ill?"

"Yes, before he died."

She nodded, eyes locked on the tiny figure. "That would make sense. But I have never known the 'deep sleep' to last this long. Usually the person dies within months. I don't know what to make of this."

"Can... can you wake him?" Penumbre asked.

"I can try!" She said assertively and went into the next room to gather some medicines. "Smell is the most powerful sense. That is to say, the sense that affects the mind the most. So, was there anything in particular that the boy liked to smell?"

"Yes. He always liked to smell the flowers that grew back in his town."

"No, I'm afraid that won't do." She said, starting to mix ingredients into a small pestle. "I have an idea though. Sometimes a pungent smell can arouse a sleeper." She ground many dry and flaky ingredients into powder and then mixed them with a tangy, sour fruit juice that had a strong odor. It made Emyr's eyes water. "Here," She said, handing the pestle to Penumbre. "Put this under the child's beak."

Penumbre did what he was told. The strong scent was starting to get to him as well and would have woken anyone who was sleeping, but Kairu did not stir.

"Look!" Adora shouted, pointing frantically. "His eyes! His eyes!" 

Penumbre looked closely and saw that tears had welled at his eyes and slid down his face elegantly. He removed the pestle from under Kairu's beak and handed it to Emyr. "Pfwaw!" He said, blinking rapidly. "That's strong stuff!" He discarded the contents with a flick of his wrist and handed it back to Adora, rubbing his eyes. 

"I don't know what to make of this." She said. "The child is not alive, but is not dead." She sat in a sling in the corner of the room and put her head in her hands. "I can't believe this!" 

"What should we do?"

Adora looked up and thought for a moment. "Take him home and give him a warm bath."

Penumbre saw that she had run out of ideas. "Thank you very much. You have been a great help." He lied and picked up Kairu and left the room.

He laid Kairu down on the sling at Emyr's house. "Look at him. He looks like he's outgrowing his clothes." 

Even though Emyr might have been skeptical, he had to agree. "Yes. He looks so peaceful." Kairu's eyes were shut softly, as though only dozing, with a peaceful expression on his face and his entire body relaxed as though enjoying a deep sleep. The only thing missing was the rhythmic rising and falling of the chest.

"I don't know what to do anymore." Penumbre said, running a hand across his brow and forehead. "I don't know when he's going to wake up."

"Patience my friend." Emyr said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He'll wake up in time, Gods willing." 

Penumbre cast a backwards glance but didn't say anything. He was not a religious man in the sense that Emyr was, but he had been taught tolerance and wasn't going to contradict or question him, but there was no doubt in his mind that Kairu was still living. It was only a matter of time until...

A rustling of the curtains behind him interrupted his thoughts in which he had been so enveloped that he hadn't noticed Dianil approaching. He entered the room and nodded respectfully. "How is the boy?" He asked.

But neither answered. It was obvious that Kairu was exactly the same as he last time he had seen him. Dianil walked to where the boy lie and looked him over for a while.

"Tell me, how did he die?"

"An illness." Penumbre answered.

"And why was he not cremated?"

"Because his family and I do not follow the old traditions."

"I see." Dianil paced the room for a while, continuing to look pensive. "I have given this much thought and I have come to the conclusion that the reason for this... paranormal occurrence is that the boy's spirit is restless. Fortunately for you, he was just a child with no malevolent intentions. For him to finally rest in peace, he must be cremated and buried in the earth."

Penumbre noted with some disappointment that Dianil would not be persuaded otherwise. He had not got to be so widely trusted by being feeble-minded. "No. I'm sorry. I know that he is still alive and I will wait for him to wake."

"What I'm asking for is not unreasonable. The poor child died a long time ago and you still wait for him to wake. Wouldn't you rather have him rest?"

Penumbre did not answer.

"I will return later to see what decision you have made. Keep in mind that leaving a corpse unburied is illegal by the law of the land. Good day."

  


"Well I'm stumped." Emyr said, grinding the insides of another fruit into the juice bowl. "It seems to me that Dianil isn't going to allow anything." 

Penumbre sat next to him at a small wooden table, slicing fruits in half with a knife. "I don't really care what Dianil thinks."

"Ah, don't worry about it. I'm sure that the other members of the council will never allow him to make good of his threats." He used a wood peg with a rounded but rough end that protruded from a bowl to extract the juice. As he squished the sliced end of a half against the rough end of the peg, the juices would run down into the bowl.

"Yes. These people are where they are because they were found to be especially wise or learned by the people, correct?"

"Yes. And for the most part, I trust them all."

Penumbre nodded and sliced another fruit. "But I think we should prepare for the worst."

"What do you mean?"

"We need to be ready in case he comes back with more people and tries something." Penumbre said, whacking the knife down through the fruit and into the table.

Emyr looked bemused. "How do you propose to do that?"

For a moment, Penumbre looked off into the distance. "I was always taught that the most valuable thing in the universe is life, whether it be mantrin, animal, plant or even insect. Now I see that my own padawan may be the one who I'm going to have to protect." He didn't answer the question, but Emyr saw through the glint in his eye that he would do whatever it took to protect his little one.

Emyr didn't say anything. May the Gods forgive him for whatever he did.

  


Emyr's house was strangely situated away from most others. It was near a grove of trees and a stream, but not any other houses. Most of the other houses in the town were not very close to his. So when various figures appeared on the road, Penumbre noticed it. He stood in front of the house and watched for a moment as the men, six of them at least, walked down the road, kicking up dust behind them. A familiar figure was leading them. Penumbre turned away and went into the house. 

Emyr had been sleeping in the sling outside when the group arrived. He woke and got up. "Hey there," He said, rubbing his eyes. "What's this all about?"

"You know exactly what this is all about!" Someone shouted. 

"Get out of the way old fool!" 

Emyr had no choice but to stand down. There were six large, full grown men in the mob including Dianil who was at the head. Thank the Gods that none of them were armed.

Dianil was frustrated to find that someone had barricaded the door by wedging an enormous boulder in the frame, with pieces of stout firewood stuck between the gaps so that it was so tightly inserted, a single person could never have moved it. Some people wanted to break through it, but Dianil knew that it would be considered breaking into someone's house and thus against the law. "Penumbre!" He shouted through a gap. "Penumbre are you in there?" 

He was in the corner, holding Kairu to his chest, out of sight of the mob at the door.

"Penumbre! I know that you're in there! Have you made your decision?" Penumbre closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. "I want you to know that I have the town's support and many people here with me! Come now, be reasonable! Let us take care of the boy for you! Don't you want him to rest?" Penumbre opened his eyes and reached for his belt but thought better of it. Violence was not the way out of this one. There was only one thing to do. 

Penumbre waited until the mob had backed off enough so that they wouldn't be able to see him as he laid Kairu down on the sling in the corner of the room. "Okay young one. It's time to wake up." He head a resounding thud that echoed in the small room. He quickly looked behind him to see that they were trying to break down his make-shift barricade. "Wake up young padawan!" He swallowed and licked his beak nervously as another blow came to the boulder. "I'm not amused anymore! Please wake up!" He started to breath heavily. _Wham!_ "You hear that Kairu? Now there are two ways out of this. You can go with them and I'll be put in prison, or we can go home and get some ice cream." Another shudder; the boulder started to dislodge. "Please Kairu!" A single tear streamed down his face. "Please..."

With a crack and a rumble, the boulder loosed and the pieces of wood dislodged and fell to the floor as all the rocks and wood fell inward. Emyr stood behind the mob and watched. For a moment, no one entered the house, possible because of shame for they had done, but Dianil walked up to the doorway. 

A single rock bounced from the inside and struck Dianil in the ankle as Penumbre kicked it out of his way triumphantly. Penumbre appeared in the door holding Kairu's hand. "Master," He asked. "Who is this man?"

Penumbre stared Dianil in the eyes. "This man, my son, is no one." 

Dianil was shocked to say the least as Penumbre walked outside casually, holding the little boy's hand. Together they past the mob who were all dumb-founded and walked towards the town. "Come, let's go get some ice cream and then go home."

  


That night, as they all slept, a breeze blew and it was abnormally cool and dark. Penumbre slept silently and deeply inside the small house on the floor because Kairu had the mattress. His head was filled with thoughts and colors that swirled as they were blown on the soft wind that occupied his subconscious. In the back of the room, the five bottles of colored sand and the bowl of resin sat, undisturbed. As if by some poltergeist, the bowl of resin lifted from the ground and moved to the unfinished board and smeared its contents across the blank space, tipping and spilling. The sands moved from the bottles and flung themselves at the board as thought some magic wind had scooped them from their bottles are hurled them at the board. The room was filled with bright colors that swam and shone in the air above Penumbre's head were the thoughts of a content man did likewise.

  


Penumbre and Kairu had both woken up before Emyr who had slept especially deep because of the perfect conditions of the previous night. He noted with some sadness when he woke, that they were gone. He frowned and went inside to gather his tools for the morning chores. 

In the corner of the room, propped up against the wall was his sand painting. He stared at it for a minute in disbelief. There in the corner that had been blank, was the picture of a small bright green orkhet boy, smiling and in mid step, as though leaving to play. A warm smile spread its way across Emyr's face as he set about the task of making a string to attach to the board to hang it on the wall of his house.

  


"It's barbaric! This is the exact reason why the council was made! To avoid such a thing from happening." They were the exact words she had said to her mate last night after he returned home from the incident at Emyr's. "Dianil wanted to kill a little boy! It makes me sick to think about it!" 

Grotys nodded solemnly. This was the first that he had heard of it because Dianil had acted alone, never talking about it to another member of the council. "Arrange a meeting," He said, no longer showing any signs of weariness. "But tell Dianil of it last. I have a little surprise for him."

  


The members gathered in the meeting house, talking to each other in quiet tones and wondering what the purpose of this gathering could be. Since only Dianil was missing, Grotys started the meeting, standing and holding his hands up for silence. "My friends," He said, his hands behind his back. "Something very terrible happened yesterday. I would say that it did indeed border on murder. And it was committed by someone whom you know well." At that, a few murmurs ran through the crowd. "Let me remind you all the purpose behind the council. We are those revered as being wise, with common sense and the ability to judge what would be best for the people in their times of need. However, a leader is not a follower. You cannot make a decision based solely on the wants of the people. Sometimes what the people want and what the people need are two different things. A leader is someone who has integrity. Someone who does what is right all the time."

In the middle of his speech, Dianil entered the room, breathing heavily and cocking his head from side to side. 

"Dianil." Grotys said, his voice making him start because of the edge in his tone. "You have much explaining to do."

Dianil was clearly anxious. "Yes? And what about?"

Grotys remained calm outwardly although rage threatened to penetrate his mask of serenity. "The events that took place yesterday afternoon."

Dianil cleared his throat. "I... ah, I heard of a man who was committing a crime." He stopped, unable to continue. 

Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "What kind of a crime?" Someone asked.

"Had he stolen?"

"Rioted? Created a disturbance of some sort?"

"Assault? Had he attacked someone?"  
Dianil was apparently gaining courage upon being given the time to find the words he needed. "No, he had done something more appalling and grotesque than that. He had left a corpse unburied."

The response from the crowd was not what Dianil had hoped for. Most were confused rather than appalled.

Grotys saw what Dianil was trying to do. "My dear Adora," He said, remaining in a sitting position and looking over at her as though making friendly conversation. "You saw this corpse in question. Could you tell us a little bit about what happened?"

"Certainly." She said, remaining seated but having everyone's attention. "The father and friend of the child came to me and showed me him. He was a little boy of the age of 8 standard years. Bright green, orkeht, looked quiet healthy. His father told me that he had died two years before, but he looked completely fine to me. He wasn't breathing and there was no pulse, but everything else was exactly the same." 

Above the quiet talking and noises that broke out, Grotys continued. "And what do you think happened?"

"I have no idea. Medicine cannot explain what I saw that day."

"So you think it was divine intervention?"

"Definitely."

"Well then Dianil, go on. What did you do then?"

He continued his narration with agitation and all hope of redeeming himself gone. "Well, I.. I went to the house of Emyr who had been helping the man and I told him to bury the child in traditional fashion, but he wouldn't listen to me."

Grotys was quickly tired of Dianil's explanations. "And you saw the boy, correct?"

"Yes."

"And do you agree that he was as Adora said?"

Dianil looked around the room. Everyone was watching him. He knew Adora's reputation and that no one would ever believe him if it came down to a contradiction. "Yes."

"So tell me," Grotys said, leaning back casually, but eyes glaring. "What do you think happened? Was it divine intervention?"

This was Dianil's area of expertise. He was known for being learned in the areas of religion and mystification. "No." He said, figitting.

"And why not?"

"Because the Gods would never perform such a miracle to someone who was not a follower of the old traditions."

"And why not?"

Dianil started to sweat. He lowered himself a but dared not sit despite how much his knees ached. He couldn't answer the question.

"Was not this man also a mantrin?" Grotys stood rapidly and started to pace the floor. "Was he not also a good man?" Grotys suddenly turned so that he was facing Dianil, staring down into his eyes. "Tell me, do you think the Gods are as bigoted as you?" Grotys could tell from the gaze he received that Dianil wanted nothing more than the earth to open up and swallow him. "I'll tell you what I think." He said, turning away to continue pacing the room. "I wondered for a brief time why you did not ask any of the council members for advice. That is what we are here for. Many heads are better than one. Many opinions can come to a more rational conclusion than one. However, you feared the masses. You thought that if word got out that a foreigner had been the subject of a miracle, some people would question what they had been taught by you. You knew that if you came to the council, your course of actions would not be approved. A course of actions that contradicts everything our religion stands for. Tolerance and pension. I will say this to conclude. Religion does not make a man as we can see from the example before us."

Dianil was not only humiliated and mortified, but angry. "Wait! You can't..." 

"Silence _mongolico!_" Grotys bellowed, finally losing his temper. "Are you not here because people confided in your wisdom and gumption? You have proved to us that you no longer posses such things. You will be removed from the council and punished!" 

  


The meeting was over, never covering the subject that the members thought they had been gathered for. Although they were relived to be alleviated from that problem for at least one day, they still wondered why they had been gathered for such an event rather that Dianil's humiliation and punishment having been done in private. A member of the council approached Grotys and asked him what they would do now that Dianil was gone. Grotys asked what he meant. He said that Dianil's area of knowledge was in religion, and now that he was gone, who would replace him. "This council no longer needs someone in such an area." He asked why not. "Religion is something to be respected, but done at home in private. No longer will we have anyone practicing religion for status or control. Religion is a tool to improve oneself, thus it should be practiced humbly at home and in our thoughts and actions everyday."

  


"I don't want to go to Couriscant." Kairu said as Penumbre navigated the ship.

"Why not?"

"I want to go home."

"But we are going home."

"No. Couriscant isn't home."

"Yes it is, don't you remember?"

Kairu shook his head and looked confused. "Why do we have to go right now? Can't we go back to the council later?"

"I suppose that we could, but I think it would be better that we do so now. I want to let the council know what happened and see if they can give me an answer."

"Can't we go home first?"

"Don't you remember our place on Couriscant? Don't you remember training school and all your friends and your family?"

"They aren't home."

"Where is home then?"

Kairu came over and hugged Penumbre around the waist. "Home is with you! I am home right now."

Penumbre smiled and patted his head affectionately. The council could wait. They didn't even know he was alive. "But you do remember Couriscant, don't you?"

Kairu nodded. 

"How about we stay there for a little while, get you some new clothes and have a big dinner and settle in. We'll go to the council when you're ready, how about that?"

Kairu nodded and Penumbre smiled, something he realized that he had not done for quiet some time. A little more than two years if he recalled correctly. He made a slight alteration in the ship's heading as it sped off towards the stars.


End file.
